Location

Dumangas, the Philippines

Dumangas, Iloilo is a coastal city in Panay island, Visayas, Philippines with a land area of 128.7 square km. In the Municipality of Dumangas, agriculture and fisheries are major industries.

 

Issue

Natural disaster risks exacerbated by climate change

Due to its geographical conditions, Dumangas has experienced both intensive drought and flooding. Farmers faced hardship in maintaining their crop cultivation because of flooding. Farmers in Dumangas used to employ traditional cropping practices, but these no longer worked due to changing climate. Therefore, scientific evidence and climate information were needed to guide farmers in reconsidering their crop practices or varieties.

 

Solution / Lesson learned

Climate Field School for disaster risk reduction and agricultural development

The municipal government of Dumangas launched the Climate Field School (CFS) Program in 2007. The CFS program is designed to enhance the capacity of extension workers and farmers to understand and apply various information to reduce risks in agriculture while increasing farm production. Through the program, the farmers learned how to identify crop varieties considering a predicted climate event and to adjust scheduling appropriate farm operations. Farmers found managing climate change allowed them to maintain their production and make monetary profits. The CFS serves as an effective strategy for incorporating climate into agricultural planning and practices.